Moroccan Spicy Chicken Tagine with apricots, rosemary and ginger

I love Moroccan cuisine- fresh ingredients, warm spices and I get to use that beautiful conical cooking vessel- a tagine.  Wonderful!  This dish is great served with couscous or rice.

Cooking the tagine before putting on the lid.

This recipe serves four.


INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp      extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp       butter
1              onion, finely chopped
3              sprigs rosemary, 1 finely chopped, the other 2 cut in half
3 tbsp      fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2              red chilies, seeded and finely chopped
2              cinnamon sticks
8              chicken thighs
3⁄4 cup    dried apricot
2 tbsp      honey
1 can       plum tomatoes, with their juice
                sea salt
                fresh ground black pepper
4 tbsp      fresh basil, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil and butter in a tagine or heavy-based casserole dish.

Stir in ginger, onion, chopped rosemary, and chilies and sauté until the onion begins to soften.
Stir in halved rosemary sprigs and the cinnamon sticks.  Add chicken and brown on both sides.  Toss in the apricots and honey.  Stir in plum tomatoes with their juice.  Add a little water if necessary to ensure there is enough to cover the base of the tagine and submerge the apricots.

Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to low.  Cover with a lid and cook gently for 35 - 40 minutes.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle shredded basil over chicken.

Serve immediately.